Air-ship.



PATEN'TED JAN. 21, 1908.

W. C. DUNN.

AIR SHIP. APBLIUATION Hum Nov. 12. 190e.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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N6. 877,307. PATENTED JAN. 2 1, 1908. W. 0.1mm.

AIR SHIP.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 12. 1906. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n. wf k citizen of the United States, residing at -Kan Aof Missouri, have the following is a specification.

air ships are `c'uliar to' my invention will be fully underv part of this speciiication, in which:

- UNITED y. sTiiTns PATENT oiirion.

WILLIAM C. DUNN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AIR-SHIP.

l Application filed November 12 T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. DUNN, a

sas City,- in the county of Jacksonand State invented certain new and useful Improvements inAir-Ships, of which My invention has relation to air ships; and it contemplates the provisionvof an air ship embodying a gas bag or holder, and a shaft having4 one or more propellers and arranged in such manner, relative to the gas bag or holder, that the navigable efficiency of the air ship as a whole is considerably increased. The invention also contemplates the pro-l vision of an air ship in which the shaft'bearing the propellers is utilized in the connection of thecai to the gas -bag oi' holder, this being materially advanta eous since it conduces the compactness an strength of theship as a whole and renders the same well adapted to withstand the usage and conditions to which ordinarily subjected. l The inventionfurther seeks the provision in an air ship, balloon or the'like, of a gas bag orliolder having at its forward end or side an air chamber calculated to form a cushion which will take up the pressure or im act of the wind or air currents and hence wil effectually prevent the saine from eXploding'the gas bag or holder. I

Various other advantageousfeatures pestood from the following description and claims when the same are read in connection with the accompanying drawings,- forming Figure 1 isa side elevation of the air ship constituting the present. and preferred em, bodirnent of my invention, as the same ap'- pears when in flight. Fig. 2is a longitudinal vertical section of the air. ship. Fig. 3 is' a transverse section taken in a plane slightlyin rearof the driving connection intermediate the motor in the car and the propeller shaft in the longitudinal center of the gas bag or holder. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the gas bag holder as the same appears when o ened to permit of the shaft bearings beingadgusted and the carhangers andthe driving connection'. being connected to the propeller shaft. Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating the gas bag or holder-as closed. Fig. 6 `is an en larged detail section ofthe'forward end of the Specification of Letters Patent.

.1906. serai No. 342.990.

through the me gas bag or holder, illustrating the protective,

air chamber thereof. Fig. 7Ais a view similar to Fig. l illustrating a modified arrangement of the rudder of the air ship relative to the. gas bag' or holder andthecar. v

Referring by letter to thel said drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 thereof: A is the gas bag or holder ofthe air ship.. The said gas ba or holder ispreferably of the' general shape illustrated, though it may be of any other shape compatible with my inven tion without involving departure 'from the scope thereof. It is peculiar in that it has a longitudinal central passage a ex'ndn from one of` its .ends to the other isolate from its gas-containing interior, and also in that it has a longitudinal opening t at itsunderside in communication with the longitu-A dinal central passage 0..v The `.walls of the said opening b are equipped with hooks c or analogous appurtenances for the en agernent of a lacing cordid, and-hence'it will e apparv ent that subsequent to the adjustment ofthe shaft, presently described, and the arts connectedA therewith, the opening may be- 'closed' as shown in Fig. 5.v A' B is the propeller shaft of the aii1 ship.' This shaft 'B is journaled in suit-able bearings cdisposedin the passage a, of the gas bag or. holder, and-extends beyond the ends of said gas bag or holder about the. proportional distances illustrated. It is equipped at its -for.l ward. end 'with a pro end with a propeller peller ,C being arran the blades ofthe ro'- or holder, and the blades of theprop'eller when shaft B is rotated in push the gas bag or holder. to the propeller shaft B the vsame and' through being arranged said direction to Loosely connected and extending from the opening tubes df, g and h. The tubes g and-h are designe for the assage ofthehangers -E iumof which the car F of. the airA ship is connected with'the' shaft B,

while the tube f is for the passage of the driv- J ed when the shaft 'is y rotated in one direction to draw the gas baig eller C and atits rear b in the gas bag or'holder'A are ing connectionintermediate the'inotor Gin the car F and the propellershaft B.r The said motor G is arranged approximately in the middle of the car 'an its 'shaft H' is carried to the forward 'end ofthe car Where itis connected with the shaft of a pro eller I,

arranged to assist the propeller C in' rawing the ship -through the air; The driving connection intermediate the shaft H of the moi tor'G and the propeller shaft B may be of from end to end thereof, a propeller shaft any description adapted to the pur ose Withmounted in said passage, and' means for unitout alfecting 4my invention, thong 'I prefer ing the contiguous Walls of'said opening. to have it comprise a sprocket gear .lc on-the 2. An air 4ship comprising a gas bag proshaft B, a sprocket gearjl on the motorshaft vided with a central longitudinal passage and 7b "Hand a suitableconnecting belt. an opening extending radially from said pas With a View of renderin ythe as bag or sage to the 'peri hery of said gas bag running 1 holder A less liable to explode wien it. en' from end to en thereof, bearings located in l counters a strong. air current,I prefer to prosaid passage, apropeller -shaft mountedin 1.o vide the said bag or holder atitsforward end said bearings and yextending through said 75 With an air chamber J, bestishow'n in Fi 6. passage, and ,means for uniting the. contigw. This chamber J is; rovided with a valve inous Walls of said opening. flation tube K, and hence it may be infiated 3. An air ship comprising a gasl bag lproincident to the charging of-l theinterior' of the vided With acen'tral longitudinal passage and. lbag or holder' AWith gas, or'subsequent to an opening extending radially from said' pa's- 30 such operation in the-discretion ofthe opera sage to the peri hery of said gas bag-running. tor ofv the air shi r from endto en thereof, a propeller shaft exe M is the rudder ofthe -air ship.' rudtending. through said assage,`a car suspend# der' is connected in. a pivotal manner to a ed from said shaft, and means for uniting the' 2o frame carried by-the propeller shaft B and contiguous Wallsof said opening. f 35;, the car F,' as shown in Fi si '1' & 2, and from 4. An air'ship-com'prisinga gas bag proits .oppositesides cables extend to the car'` vided with a central longitudinal passage and` so as to lenable the operator. in thecar to an openingextending' radially from saidpasreadily position it according to the course'he sage to the peri her'y ofsaid 'gas bag 25 desires to taker- I It'will be gathered from the fore oing that tached to the contiguous wallslofsaid .open-#f vthe disposition of the propeller'sha B of the ing by means of -Whichfsaid Walls may be air ship in the as -bag or holder A, and the united, and a propeller shaft mounted inv said suspension of t e c`ar Ffrom-said ropeller passait;i 3o shaftB- contributes in a material egreev to 5.

.from end to en thereof, securing.devices'atnv gb.

air ship comprisi agas bag prothe stiffness and strength of the air shi and vided a'central longitu nal passage and i l renders the same compact and grace 1n an openmg extending radially from said'pasi appearance; also, that said arrangement con-y sage to thel perihery ofsaid gas bag running duces to thev facilitywith which the air ship from end .to en thereof, lacing'studs secured 35 may be handled or naviated, and atthe to the contiguous vs falls of said opening,'laces 103' same time lessens the lia ilityof accident, uniting said studs, .anda. propeller shaft this latter becauselateral swaying. of the ycar mounted in said passage. Y F is practically eliminated. i 6. An air ship compris' a asvbag pro- In lieu ofthe rudder M illustratedin Figs. 1 vided'with a central longitll'ilinalg passage and 4o A1 and 2 I may em loy the rudder M1 shown in an opening extending radially from said pas- 10;, Fig.f7 or any ot er ruddersuitable -to myA sage to the periphery of said gasl ba runni ty. e of air ship. 'The rudder Ml is pivot-ed to from end to end thereof, a p V opeler 'shaft a iiiame 4.N1 mounted immediately 1n front of mounted in said passage, means fon uniting 'Y the rear propeller on the shaft B, and is pro thecontiguous walls of said opening, and an l '45 vided With 4an opening Nzto receivethe said air chamber formed in said gas bag and iso- 11d rear propeller. It is alsoprovided at its o lated from the gas containing portion thereof. posite sides with cables .P1 and theseylatter ,v 7. ,An lair ship-comprising a gas bag proextend to a point lWithin the car F so as -to vided with a central longitudinal passage and enable the operator in the car to convenanf opening extending radially from said pas- 50 iently steer the ship `While the same is in mosage Ato the periphery of said gas ybacr running 115 tion through v the-'au'.V from end to' end thereof, a propeller shaft The construction herein illustrated and demounted in said passage, hangers depending .scribed is the-best embodiment o f-my invenfromsaid shaft and extending through said tion now knownvtomebut I desire it underopening, a' car "supported by said hangers, v5 5 .stood ,that in pract'ice such mcdications Vin and.. means for unltlng. the contiguous walls 1.2@ the form, construction and relative arran eof said opening. ment of the parts may be made as clearly all ,-8. An air ship comprising a gasl bag pro- Within the scope of my invention as claimed. vided with a central longitudinal passage and Having described my invention, what I an opening extending radially from said pas- 60 claim and `desire to secure by Letters Patsage to the periphery of saidgas ba running 12,5 ent, is: from end to end thereof, a propeller shall.y 1'. An air ship comprising a gas bag promounted in said passage, hangers 'depending vided with a central longitudinalpassage and from said shaft vand extending through said an opening extending radially from said pasopening, a car: supported bysaid hangers,

.les sage to the periphery of said gas bag runninv means' for .uniting the contiguous Walls of 130 said opening, a motor on said car for o erat-y ling said propeller shaft,- and asecon propeller. shaft projecting from said car and operated by said motor.

9. An air ship comprising a gas lbag provided with a central longitudinal passage and an opening extending radially from said passage to the periphery ofsaid-gas bag running' A'from end to end thereof, Aa propeller shaft mounted in said passage, means for uniting 11. An air com rising a gas bag or holder having a longitudl 'nal passage isolated Jrom its gas-containing interior, and also having an openlng at its underslde 1n com.

. munication With said passage7 and means for closing said opening, a shaft journaled in a bearing in the passage and extending beyond one end of the gas bag or holder, a fixed on the extended ortion of t hangers connectedr to tie shaft and extending through tubular openings in said gas bag or holder, a car connected to the hangers, a motor in the' car, and a driving connection intermediate the motonand the shaft', extending through the remaining tube.'

In testimony'whereof I alix my signaf ture in presence of tWo'Witnesses.

WILLIAM CLDUNN.

' l.Vlitnesses1 Y KARL F. MURDooKj. W. H. FIsK.

propeller e shaft, 

